Treffie
03-24-2011, 06:01 PM
Wales has the greatest number of Ogham stones of any region outside of Ireland (35 stones with definite Ogham inscriptions), but as can be seen from the map below, they are unevenly distributed, with large numbers in the south-west and the south-east, and only a handful in the north :
http://www.babelstone.co.uk/Ogham/Maps/WikipediaMapWales.jpg
http://www.babelstone.co.uk/Ogham/Maps/LateCelticBritainIreland_Fig1.jpg
Over twenty Ogham stones are found within the territory of Dyfed, including a couple of stones which are just on the other side of the River Teifi, in erstwhile Cardiganshire (RHDDL/1 and LDYSL/1), but the modern course of the river clearly deviates from the course the river took fifteen hundred years ago, and they would originally have been on the Dyfed side of the river. At least eight Ogham stones are also found in the territory of Brycheiniog, testifying to the strength of Irish settlement in these two areas, and evidence that the Irish language was widely spoken here, at least by the ruling elite and land owners. There are also two Ogham stones east of the River Tywi, in what would probably have been the territory of Glywysing, suggesting that Irish settlement pushed eastwards from Dyfed into the western part of its Brythonic neighbour. To the north of Dyfed, in the territory of Ceredigion there is only one doubtful Ogham stone
Cont'd (http://babelstone.co.uk/Blog/2010/03/ogham-stones-of-wales.html)
http://www.babelstone.co.uk/Ogham/Maps/WikipediaMapWales.jpg
http://www.babelstone.co.uk/Ogham/Maps/LateCelticBritainIreland_Fig1.jpg
Over twenty Ogham stones are found within the territory of Dyfed, including a couple of stones which are just on the other side of the River Teifi, in erstwhile Cardiganshire (RHDDL/1 and LDYSL/1), but the modern course of the river clearly deviates from the course the river took fifteen hundred years ago, and they would originally have been on the Dyfed side of the river. At least eight Ogham stones are also found in the territory of Brycheiniog, testifying to the strength of Irish settlement in these two areas, and evidence that the Irish language was widely spoken here, at least by the ruling elite and land owners. There are also two Ogham stones east of the River Tywi, in what would probably have been the territory of Glywysing, suggesting that Irish settlement pushed eastwards from Dyfed into the western part of its Brythonic neighbour. To the north of Dyfed, in the territory of Ceredigion there is only one doubtful Ogham stone
Cont'd (http://babelstone.co.uk/Blog/2010/03/ogham-stones-of-wales.html)